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Old 02-02-2013, 04:52 PM   #1
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Power to slide

, I would like to put the slide out to do some work in the camper but the battery is out and stored for winter. Can I just plug the camper in with the power cable or does the battery need to be in to operate the slide?
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Old 02-02-2013, 05:34 PM   #2
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If your TV is wired properly plug it in to the trailer and run the slide out,but the slide will work better with the battery in the trailer and hooked up. Youroo!!
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Old 02-02-2013, 05:42 PM   #3
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You would definitely put major strain on the electrical system doing it as you suggest.
Carrying all that electrical load from your tv battery all the way to your slide wouldn't be something I'd like to do unless there was no other way and the slide HAD to be open.
Albeit it can be done.

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Old 02-02-2013, 09:03 PM   #4
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Grab a jump box- Napa has a little yellow one that is on sale for $49.99 that works great. I have used one just like them at work for the past 2 years.
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Old 02-02-2013, 09:48 PM   #5
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So by all the responses here I am assume that the slide only runs on the 12v system and not the 110v. Thanks for all the help
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Old 02-02-2013, 09:55 PM   #6
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I was told by my dealer that the TV wiring through the plug was not heavy enough to carry the current required to run the jacks and slides. Better to use a jump box like MillerTime suggested.

Mike
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Old 02-02-2013, 09:56 PM   #7
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It's designed to work on the 12v system.
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Old 02-02-2013, 10:01 PM   #8
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I was told by my dealer that the TV wiring through the plug was not heavy enough to carry the current required to run the jacks and slides. Better to use a jump box like MillerTime suggested.

Mike
This is why I'll never understand electrical systems. The wiring can't handle the slide but can handle a microwave, AC, refrigerator and other devices in camper.
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Old 02-02-2013, 10:11 PM   #9
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I am not sure about all this myself. However, as I understand it, when the RV battery is installed and the TV is connected to the RV, the TV battery is running the inverter/charger to trickle charge the RV battery. The 115V appliances then can run off the inverter and the 12V devices can run off the RV battery. Don't hold me to this; I am not an expert.

I do know that the hydraulic pump in my 36RE is a very high current motor (not sure how high). Say it required 30 amps, which I don't think is unreasonable when the pump is under load. The wire gauge required to carry 30 amps is 10 guage, which is pretty hefty wire. I think most house wiring is done with 12 guage wire. My TV power connector will not carry 30 amps. The wiring is just not heavy enough.

The OP should use a jump box as was suggested. I will now leave the rest of this discussion to folks with more smarts than I have on this topic.

Mike
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Old 02-02-2013, 10:22 PM   #10
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I am not sure about all this myself. However, as I understand it, when the RV battery is installed and the TV is connected to the RV, the TV battery is running the inverter/charger to trickle charge the RV battery. The 115V appliances then can run off the inverter and the 12V devices can run off the RV battery. Don't hold me to this; I am not an expert.

I do know that the hydraulic pump in my 36RE is a very high current motor (not sure how high). Say it required 30 amps, which I don't think is unreasonable when the pump is under load. The wire gauge required to carry 30 amps is 10 guage, which is pretty hefty wire. I think most house wiring is done with 12 guage wire. My TV power connector will not carry 30 amps. The wiring is just not heavy enough.

The OP should use a jump box as was suggested. I will now leave the rest of this discussion to folks with more smarts than I have on this topic.

Mike
My mistake, I didn't notice in your first message that you were talking about the tow vehicle. I was talking about the 30 amp plug that powers the camper. I'm trying to find out if I just plug it in to the outlet if it would run the slide. But it seems that it only works on the 12v system.
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Old 02-02-2013, 10:28 PM   #11
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You should be able to power everything in the RV with shore power, including moving the slides. I think everyone assumed you didn't have shore power and were looking for a work-around with a tow vehicle battery or jump box.

Shore power provides the AC and your converter creates the DC power which moves the slides.
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Old 02-02-2013, 10:33 PM   #12
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sideout1951, you ( and the other posters) are correct that it runs off the 12V system. The 12V system will not work without the battery installed.

Mike
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Old 02-02-2013, 11:05 PM   #13
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You may consider using your tow vehicle and jumper cables connected to the camper battery leads to power the slide motor if you can get close enough. I have used jumper cables to run pumps, lights and other 12v devices without any problems on several occasions.
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Old 02-02-2013, 11:18 PM   #14
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So by all the responses here I am assume that the slide only runs on the 12v system and not the 110v. Thanks for all the help
My input.

Yes, you can use the 110 volt ac shore power without the battery installed to open and close your slide. It is a strain on the converter (which manufactures 12 volt DC on demand); and its use is not recommended to power your camper without a battery installed.

Having said that, IMO, using the converter to open and close a slide once or twice should not cause any lasting damage.

The caveat is important because "it could;" I just think it is unlikely unless you abuse the converter without a "power sink" like the deep discharge battery.
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Old 02-02-2013, 11:20 PM   #15
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sideout1951, you ( and the other posters) are correct that it runs off the 12V system. The 12V system will not work without the battery installed.

Mike
Mike,

The AC to DC converter will power the DC items in your camper without a battery installed (provided 120 VAC is supplied).

It is just not recommended to use high draw items simultaneously as it could damage the converter.
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Old 02-02-2013, 11:53 PM   #16
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I store our TT away from our home just a few blocks away with the battery at home when not camping. If I need to roll our slide out, I back my truck up to the hitch area and plug the TT pigtail into the TV. I can roll the slide in and out all I want as long as the engine is running, since the power only flows when the engine is running. I have also done this to power the water pump to flush the toilet and wash hands when I have been doing mods or other stuff with no problems.
Your TV must be wired to charge the TT battery in order for this to work.
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